CORRUPTION CHARGES: Court orders Istanbul Mayor jailed pending trial

Al Jazeera :

A Turkish court has formally placed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu under arrest pending trial on corruption charges, days after his detention triggered mass protests across the country.

The court said on Sunday that Imamoglu and at least 20 others were jailed as part of a corruption investigation.

The court in Istanbul did not press ‘terror’ charges against the 53-year-old jailed mayor.

“Although there is strong suspicion of aiding an armed terrorist organisation, since it has already been decided that he will be arrested for financial crimes, (his arrest) is not deemed necessary at this stage,” it said.

Al Jazeera’s Sinem Koseoglu, reporting from Istanbul, said several others who were also charged were ordered released pending trial.